Although the iPhone 17 Pro has only been in stores for over a month, there are already rumors about 6 features of the iPhone 18 Pro that will be released in 2026.
The iPhone 18 Pro will be released in 2026
We still have to wait almost a year for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but according to rumors, a number of new features and changes are coming to these devices in 2026. We list what we know so far.
Smaller Dynamic Island
The iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will get a slightly smaller Dynamic Island, but no Face ID under the screen, according to the Weibo account Instant Digital. Face ID under the screen is only expected with the iPhone 19 Pro models or later.
There were conflicting rumors about whether the iPhone 17 Pro models would get a smaller Dynamic Island, but the size hasn’t changed. Now the rumor has surfaced again for the iPhone 18 series. There’s a good chance it will be true this time, as it would be a stepping stone to the all-glass iPhone that may be released at the 20th anniversary.
‘Translucent’ MagSafe part
The iPhone 18 Pro models will have a similar design to the iPhone 17 Pro models in 2026, according to the Weibo account Digital Chat Station. The rear camera system will have the same ‘plateau’ as the iPhone 17 Pro models, with three lenses on top in a triangular arrangement. Digital Chat Station also expects the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch screen sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Furthermore, Digital Chat Station says that the Ceramic Shield portion on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will have a slightly transparent design, without elaborating further. Perhaps this just means that the Ceramic Shield cutout on the back of the iPhone 18 Pro models will look more matte than on the iPhone 17 Pro models. Whether that is true, we will have to wait and see for the time being.
Variable aperture
The 48-megapixel main camera on both iPhone 18 Pro models will have a variable aperture, says Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo. A variable aperture allows you to control the amount of light that passes through the camera lens and reaches the sensor. The main cameras on all iPhone 14 Pro through iPhone 17 Pro models have a fixed aperture of ƒ/1.78. The lens is always fully open and you always photograph with this aperture.
A variable aperture on iPhone 18 Pro models will give users more control over depth of field in 2026, which refers to how sharp a subject appears in the foreground compared to the background. Since iPhones have smaller image sensors due to size limitations, it’s unclear exactly how meaningful this improvement will be.
Other changes
- A20 chip that should deliver significantly better performance.
- Apple designed C2 modem.
- Newly designed camera button, emphasizing pressure-sensitive operation instead of swipe gestures.
Stay tuned for the iPhone 18 Pro in 2026
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